Rail-joint.



J. A. GREER.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED 211113.23, 1912.

Patwted Uct. i4, 1913.

Suva/Wto@ portant and practical features of the joint, inasmuch as the same is of a greater width than the width of the bases of the rails and extends entirely across the latter and projects beyond the inner edges of the rail flanges as plainly shown in the drawings.

The effect of this construction is to provide a Wide andi uninterrupted rail supporting base for both rails throughout the entire length of the joint, thus securing a maximum supporting edect at the bottoms of the rails and contributing materially to the rigidity7 and strength fof the joint without unduly detracting from the flexibility thereof. Also, by reason of the fact that the wide rail snpporting base section 7, projects beyond the inner edges of the rail flanges and is preferably provided in such projecting part with spike openings or holes 8, the said base therefore allows the inside spikes to take the lateral thrust in addition to the outside spikes. In addition to the elements enumerated, theupper portion of the side girder has a heavy reinforcing chord which great-ly strengthens said girdcr. Thisl is provided for by constructing the side girder or' upright member 3 with an approximately horizontal and 4laterally projecting reinforcing top flange 9`Which is located at the top edge of the girder and is of suflicient thickness and projection so as to provide a substantial, stout and Well defined reinforcement of the top part of the girder throughout the entire length of the bar. Furthermore, in the formation of this reinforcing flange or hord 9, the same is preferablyA formed at its under'v side with an inclined face 10 of f greater areaV than the area of the under side iof the rail head, thus providing for disj -tributing the load over a surface on the compressible filler member 1l that is of aggre- \gately much greater' areay than the area at the under sides of the rail heads. This condition secures a more uniform distribution of the load throughout the joint, and at the same time preserves the life and it of the compressible member ll.

Another feature of structural importance `resides in the fact that the reinforcing flange or chord 9 combines with the inclined bearing face l2 at the upper side of the foot iiange 5 of the joint bar 2 to provide the said joint bar at its outer side with a longitudinal channel, Within which channel closely registers thed wooden or equivalent filler member or block ll. This member or block lll has inclined or bearing surfaces 13 and l-fi at the upper and lower sides thereof which respectively engage the bearing surfaces 10 and l2 of the fianges 9 and 5. The filler member ll forms a compressible backing for the metal bolt strap or--..Washer 15 against which are tightened the heads or nuts, las the case may be, of the joint bolts 16. It will thus be observed that the Wooden orv equivalent ller 11 presents the distinct ad vantage of lforming. a nut lock on accountk of its compressibility, while at the same time serving to absorb the noise as the Wheels pass over the rails. Furthermore, inV addition to preserving all of the desirable and practical features of the continuous type of rail joint, it will be observed that the improved construction described herein not only adds materially to the strength of the joint as an entirety, and j'iarticularly to the outer bar thereof, but also presents the distinct advantage of admitting ofa ready and easy expansion of the rails when the joint parts are held together in connection with the compressible wood filler. Hence, the combination with the wooden filler is of special utility in-this particular, as Well as in the other particulars pointed out. a

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, action, and many advantages of the herein described rail joint will be readily apparent Without further description. f I claim: A rail joint including the rails and oppositely arranged joint bars, one of the joint bars having a longitudinal channel extending the full length'of its outer side and com- `pr1sing an upright side member provided at its top edge With a laterally projecting re-l inforcing ange and formed at the bottom With an integral horizontal rail-supportingv base section of greater Width than the rail bases and having a projecting spiking part beyond one .edge of the rail tianges, a comhereinbefore i pressible filler member closely registering in the channel of said bar beneath the reinforcing ange thereof and projecting a distance beyond the said flange, and a bolt-engaged washer platel bearing against the outer projecting part of the compressible filler.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two Witnesses. y JAMES A. GREER. Witnesses:

BnNJ. WoLI-IAUPTER, II. MCNALLY. 

